San Antonio’s Culinaria—Annual Food and Wine Fest Showcases Fine Wines and Local Flavors

Another delicious series of culinary and wine-centric events are in the works for San Antonio’s 14th annual Culinaria Wine & Food Arts Festival, May 15-19, 2013. Named “most popular food and wine festival” by Vanity Fair, Culinaria will feature internationally renowned vintners, top Texas wine producers and the hottest San Antonio chefs.

There’s much to savor: From winemaker dinners featuring stellar pairings at some of the city’s finest restaurants; to events such as the Best of Mexico, celebrating all the treasures of the country; to Burgers & Beer, a salute to some of the most beloved Texas foods and brews. Plus, two new events are back for 2013: Sabado at Casa Hernan, a traditional Mexican Brunch event—a luscious feast of traditional Mexican barbecues and dishes from various regions. On Thursday night, 20 mobile food trucks offer up a smorgasbord of fare at the mobile food truck competition.

Whether your style is picnic-casual or elegantly upscale, Culinaria has an event to suit your taste and budget. Here’s a sampling of festival events:

• Winemaker Dinners (Wednesday and Thursday, May 15 and May 16) San Antonio's best chefs create exquisite menus paired with guest winemakers for intimate dinners around the city.

• Food Truck Competition at Alon (Thursday, May 16) Cruise into Culinaria's food truck round-up where local chefs have created rabid fan bases by featuring Latin, Asian and New American cuisine—and yes, tacos, too—served from rolling roadside kitchens.

• Becker Vineyards Luncheon (Friday, May 17) Becker Vineyards hosts a multi-course luncheon amid the wildflower-painted landscape of this Hill Country winery where San Antonio and Hill Country stars create amazing dishes and winemakers share their wines’ histories and secrets.

• Best of Mexico (Friday, May 17) Welcome to the fastest-growing event on the festival schedule! Passion reigns supreme as rich flavors are infused with colorful culture. Demonstrations celebrate all the treasures of Mexico as chefs explore the depth of this vibrant cuisine.

• Sabado at Casa Hernan (Saturday, May 18) A Mexican brunch highlighting barbacoas (barbecue) from various regions of Mexico such as Nortena, Poblana and Yucateca. All on fresh corn and flour tortillas, of course. Additional regional dishes will also be offered. specialties include chilaquiles de pollo, birria tatemada (slow roasted, seasoned kid goat with dry chiles), tamales Oaxaquenos,

• The Grand Tasting (Saturday, May 18) The festival’s pinnacle event offers entertainment, top chefs and winemakers galore—all along the beautiful San Antonio River Walk.

• Burgers, BBQ & Beer (Sunday, May 19) Local hangouts to fine dining establishments offer their best version of this classic backyard fare. All with a Texas twist, of course.

There are many more Culinaria events year-round. Discover more at culinariasa.org. To learn more about San Antonio’s flavorful culinary scene, explore visitsanantonio.com or call 800-ALAMO-07.

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Culinaria is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to promoting San Antonio as a premier wine and food destination while fostering community growth and enrichment and supporting local students in culinary arts and food related aid organizations. Culinaria is a registered 501 c (3)tax-exempt organization. A volunteer board of directors who represent the community and guide the organization in its mission to champion the wine and food industries governs Culinaria.

The San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, a department of the City of San Antonio, is funded through the hotel/motel occupancy tax. The bureau is a marketing, sales and service organization dedicated to the promotion of San Antonio as a meetings and visitor destination for the purpose of positively affecting the city's economy.